Chiefs, the Igbo Council of, and Lagos. "Igbo Festival: In Honour of New Yam ." Philip Emeagwali - A Father of the Internet - Pioneer of the Supercomputer that is an Internet. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2010. <http://www.emeagwali.com/nigeria/cuisine/igbo-new-yam-festival.html>.
By: Gary White
What are Yams?
- A yam is large root vegetable that looks like a tube.
- People usually confuse a yam with a sweet potato.
- Yams can be stored for 2 months in dark and cool areas.
- They can also be dried and turned into flour for longer storage
Significance- An estimated 60 million Africans eat yams daily
- Considered a cash crop for trading to othe countires
- West Africa produces more than 94% of the world's yams
- Their harvest marks the farming season's end for the Igbo people
- Used in traditional Igbo ceremonies to celebrate
- Yams are considered "the king of crops"
Problems- Instead of growing yams, Igbos have embraced trading. They are now only celebrating yams and not growing it.
- Over the last 20 years less and less yams are being produced in Nigeria and all of Africa.
Picture Citations- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-11385436
- http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/africa/food/food.htm
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/7543897.stm
Works Cited